Honest pricing
What HVAC workactually costs in Fresno.
Real ranges for the work we do most, what moves a number up or down, and how our pricing works — so you can decide whether to call us with a rough figure already in your head.
Why this page exists
Almost nobody in this market publishes a number
Look up HVAC pricing in Fresno and you will find "competitive rates," "affordable service" and "call for a quote." What you will not find is a range, because a range is a commitment and vagueness protects the seller.
It also puts you in the worst possible position: agreeing to a visit with no idea whether the answer is going to be three hundred dollars or thirteen thousand, then making that decision in a hot house with a stranger waiting.
You should be able to guess roughly what this will cost before you dial. That is the entire point of this page.
Start here
The diagnostic fee
It is the first cost you will hit, and the only one you commit to before we know what is wrong. One flat fee, confirmed when you book, and waived entirely when you approve the repair.
We charge it because a free visit gets paid for by whoever ends up buying a system — and that is precisely the incentive we are trying to keep out of your driveway.
What it buys you
- A full seven-step diagnostic with real measurements
- Photos of whatever we find, yours to keep
- Every option priced, with no obligation to take any
- Waived from the invoice when you approve the repair
Typical price ranges
What these jobs generally run in the Fresno area. Your quote is a firm number given before any work starts — these ranges are so you are not walking in blind.
Air conditioning repairs
- Capacitor replacement$150 – $350
- Contactor replacement$150 – $300
- Condensate drain clearing$125 – $300
- Thermostat replacement$175 – $500
- Condenser fan motor$400 – $800
- Refrigerant leak repair$400 – $1,600
- Blower motor replacement$600 – $1,300
- Evaporator coil replacement$1,200 – $2,800
- Compressor replacement$1,800 – $3,500
Heating repairs
- Flame sensor cleaning or replacement$175 – $400
- Hot surface igniter$225 – $500
- Pressure switch$250 – $550
- Control board$400 – $900
- Gas valve$500 – $1,100
- Draft inducer motor$500 – $1,200
- Blower motor replacement$600 – $1,300
- Heat exchanger replacement$1,500 – $3,500
System replacement
- Furnace only$4,500 – $9,000
- Ductless mini-split, single zone$4,000 – $7,500
- AC condenser and coil$7,000 – $12,000
- Packaged rooftop unit$8,000 – $14,000
- Heat pump system$9,000 – $16,000
- Full AC and furnace system$10,000 – $18,000
- Swamp cooler to central air$12,000 – $22,000
Ductwork, air quality & maintenance
- AC or furnace tune-up$120 – $250
- Whole-home air filtration$700 – $2,000
- Duct repair, localised$400 – $1,500
- Duct sealing$800 – $2,500
- Partial duct replacement$2,000 – $5,000
- Whole house fan installation$2,000 – $4,000
- Full duct replacement$5,000 – $12,000
These are typical ranges for the Fresno area, not quotes. The number that matters is the one your technician gives you after diagnosing your system, and you approve it before anything gets touched.
What moves the number
Six things explain most of the spread between the low end of a range and the high end.
The part itself
An OEM control board for a premium brand can cost several times a universal equivalent. Where a compatible part is safe and reliable, we will offer you both and let you choose.
Warranty status
A compressor still covered by the manufacturer turns a four-figure repair into labor only. We check before quoting, which is the kind of thing that gets skipped in a hurry.
Access
A furnace in a hallway closet and a furnace in a 150-degree attic crawl are not the same job, and a rooftop packaged unit is different again.
Refrigerant type
R-22 has been out of production since 2020 and remaining supply is expensive. The same leak repair costs very differently depending on what is in your system.
Permits and verification
California requires a mechanical permit and independent field verification on most changeouts. Both cost money, both are included in our replacement quotes, and both are why some quotes look cheaper.
What else the system needs
New equipment on collapsed ductwork underperforms. If the ducts, electrical or pad need work, that belongs in the quote rather than surfacing as a change order later.
How our pricing works
Four rules that apply to every job, from a capacitor to a full system.
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Flat-rate, not hourly
You get one number for the job. If it takes longer than expected, that is our problem to solve, not a meter running while you watch. Hourly billing rewards the slow and punishes the customer for a diagnosis that turns out to be complicated.
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Approved before we start
Not one dollar of parts or labor happens on assumption. You see the price, you see the photos of what is wrong, and you say yes or no. No is a completely acceptable answer.
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Options, not an ultimatum
Where there is more than one legitimate path — repair now, repair properly, or replace — you get all of them priced side by side rather than the one that suits us best.
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After-hours pricing quoted upfront
If there is a difference for nights or weekends, you hear it when you book and before a technician is dispatched. You will never find a surcharge on the invoice that was not discussed.
Pricing in detail
Deeper breakdowns for the jobs people research hardest before calling anyone.
When the number is a problem
A failed system does not wait for a convenient month. Financing is available on qualifying repairs and installations, and we will walk you through the real numbers — term, payment, total cost — before you commit to anything.
Pricing questions
Why do you charge for a diagnostic when others are free?
Because a free visit still costs the company money, and that money comes back through whoever ends up buying a system. Charging for the diagnosis means the technician is paid for finding out what is wrong rather than for selling you something. The fee is waived when you approve the repair. More here.
Are these prices guaranteed?
The ranges on this page are typical figures for the Fresno area, not quotes. What is guaranteed is the number your technician gives you after the diagnostic — that one is firm, and you approve it before any work begins.
Why is another company's replacement quote so much cheaper?
Usually because it is a different job. Check whether the quote includes a load calculation, the mechanical permit, independent code verification, duct work and a written labor warranty. A number missing those is not a lower price for the same thing. What a replacement should include.
Do you charge by the hour?
No. Flat rate per job. If a repair takes longer than we expected, that is our problem rather than a bigger invoice for you.
Will I be charged more for a night or weekend call?
Any difference is quoted when you book, before a technician is dispatched. Nothing appears on the invoice that was not discussed on the phone first.
Do you price match?
We would rather show you what a quote does and does not include than match a number blind. If you have a written quote, bring it — our free second opinion exists exactly for that comparison.
Get a real number for your system
A proper diagnostic, photos of what is wrong, and a firm price you approve before anything happens.
California Heating & AC Repair is operated by Craftline Renovations, Inc. · CSLB License #999179 · Licensed and insured. Prices shown are typical ranges for the Fresno area and are not quotes.